Packaging cigarettes



Nov. 1, 1932. a. w. GWINN ET AL 193859910 v PACKAGING CIGARETTES Filed Oct. 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 1, 1932. a. w. GWINN ET AL PACKAGING CIGARETT'ES Filed Oct. 1 1950 FIG. 6

INVENTOR BY M fi A ORNEY Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED- STATES PATENT- omen GEORGE W. GWINN, OF HEWLETT, AND CHARLES ARELT, OF RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY PACKAGING CIGARETTES Application filed October 16, 1930. Serial No. 489,207.

This invention relates to improvements in packaging cigarettes and particularly to the packaging of groups of cigarettes in an inner wripper surrounded by a pouchopen at one The main object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple method and apparatus for so packaging cigarettes which will be free from certain disadvantages which have hitherto attended simplified folding of the inner and outer wrapper elements.

In forming the end folds on the inner wrapper and outer pouch there would normally be utilized. eight folding operations and eight folding elements to fold separately the four outstanding end flaps of the two wrapper elements. To simplify the machines and folding methods employed attempts have been made to-fold corresponding flaps of thewrapper and pouch simulta-' neously as a unit'but this has been more or less unsatisfactory. 1 The flaps interlocked so that itwas not possible to pull out-the tinfoil'wrapped group of cigarettes from the 2 pouch in order to examine the perfectness of the folding of the tinfoil and the wrapper from within, an operation performed by factory' inspectors very frequently. Another difficulty was due to the fact that the tinfoil entered between the flapsof the pouch which were -to be-adhesively secured together, thus preventing proper and convenient sealing. Also the folded end had a tendency to open up when a completed container was pushed off the mandrel from the inside.

m'ent' of' -parts by which applicants reduce thenumber of major folding operations from eight to six {and} at; the same time avoid "the aho've'T'nenti'oned diificulties'i"" I still anothenobject-is'to provide'for'-'suc'- cess'ively' folding '[the inner and 'outer' wrapelements While elfiininatingtroubles' fori the sides betwenfoldin'g operations. "In the '1: accomplishments of the above it is a feature of theinvehtiiin to fold in the broad'e'nd flaps of the'inner- 'an'd 'onebroad side of outer 5O wrapperelementsj'ofacigarette package or merly eiip'erienced dueto'the openingup of drels of a machine of this general type, which will perform a folding as well as clamping functionxand which will nevertheless present minimum interference with, and maximum clearance for, the wrapper and-pouch sheets fed between said clamp and the man-- drel. Thus this clamping mechanism -will be applicable to existing machines of this type where the movement of the clamp away from the mandrel is limited. lVith these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consistsin certain con v structions and combinations which will be hereinafter set forth in the claimshereunto appended y In the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts, Fig. 1 is a detail end elevation of a detail shownin Fig.1; Fig. 3 .is-a detail -siderrelevation onl-ine 3*3of station II of the mechanism shown inFig; 1.;.,:Fig 44s a plan view of part of the apparatus shown in Fig.3; and ,iF igsu5 to '13" are perspective Thus, an important feature of the-inve'n ti-on isthe method of foldingand arrange mechanism for folding in the remaining end flaps of the outer wrapperto form non-interlocking inner and outer containers which may per and also includes ,a side folding mechanism operated by the clamp and arranged to fold a portion of the wrapper about one side of the mandrel when the clamp moves against the wrapper.

The method employed in' carrying the invention into effect consists in applying a double wrapping without interlocking of the inner and outer wrappers by vfolding an inner wrapper circumferentially about a mandrel and overhanging one end thereof, then folding in opposite overhanging end flaps while leaving outstanding two remaining end flaps then folding an outer wrapper circumferentially about the mandrel and also overhanging the end of the mandrel, folding as units in one operation each outstanding flap of the inner wrapper and the corresponding end flap of the outer wrapper and then folding in the remaining side flaps of the outer wrapper to complete the closing of the end of the inner and outer wrappers.

The various steps and means referred to may be varied widely within the scope of the claims for the particular mechanism and method selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the packaging turret 15 which is driven intermittently in synchronism with the working parts of the different folding devices at the working stations, carries a number of symmetrically spaced hollow mandrels 16 of the shape and size required for the package to be' made. With each of these mandrels 16 is associated a seam clamping arm 17 and a foldin and clamping arm 18. The latter serves to 0 amp the entering tinfoil at one station and the label at another station against the mandrel 16 and operates the means for making the first side fold.

The twelve stations of the turret, for convenience are designated by Roman numerals corresponding to the hours on a clock.

At station XII, which is the ejecting station for the finished package and also the receiving station for the tinfoil wrapper, the paper lined tinfoil F is fed from a reel by feed rollers '19 into vertical guides 20 in which a length sufiicient for one package is cut off from the web F by a knife 21, the cut foil blank F being held against the wall of the mandrel.16.by a clamp plate 22 operated by arm 18. The plate 22 is mounted on pins 23 equipped with tension springs 24 supported by the arm 18, which in a lug 25 on the arm carries a stud 26 on which is pivoted a foldin plate 27 which on its upper part engages fietween the tension springs 24 and the clamp plate while its lower part is suitably curved at 27a to fold the foil around the side of the mandrel 16 as soon as the tinfoil is cut and clamped to the mandrel. The arm 18, in advancing toward the mandrel, first pushes the clamp plate against the tinfoil and then through the relative motion of the clamp plate and the arm as a result of the clamping pressure, causes a swinging motion of the fold plate 27, thereby folding the foil around the bottom of the mandrel 16 (Fig. 5). Before reaching station I, the still overhanging upper end of the tinfoil engages with a stationary rod 28thereby folding this end up against the top of mandrel 16. It is noted that the improved clamping and folding mechanism without any operating means in addition to the short oscillating movement of the arm 18 serves to both fold the wrapping material and to clamp the paper to the mandrel prior to cutting so that the paper will be supported when cut, and that it does this without interfering with the cutting or paper feeding and without creasing orbending the paper between the knife and the mandrel, which would form a crease difiicult to straighten out in subsequent operations. Thus the clamping mechanism with its folding element serves to fold the less accessible or inner side of the wrapper about the mandrel while permitting free feeding and folding on the other-side of the mechanism. Since the spring 24v as shown in Fig. 2 operates to normally push the clamp away from the arm 18 toward the mandrel while retracting the folding surface 27a of the folder 27 to a point behind the operating plane of the clamp late'when the arm is drawn back there Wlll be substantially the same clearance between the plate and the mandrel as though no folder were operated thereby. This is a-distinct advantage over mounting the folding surface directly on the clamp plate since in many commercial machines movement of the clamp arm is limited and a small clearance would interfere with certainty and convenience in feeding the tinfoil and label.

On arriving at station I, stationary brushes 29 bear against the justvfolded side, thereby laying the same smooth and holding it in position, while folding plates 3( and 31 swingto allow this operation, but as soon as the fold is completed, the arm 17 earr ing spring plates 34 moves back towards t e mandrel and holds the seam of folded foil firmly against the same.

At station II the bottom fold E which is one of the important features of the present 1 improvement is made. In the rest position E, as they pass guides 36d as shown in Fig.-

8. These ears after creasing extend in such a manner that they are not standing straight out but are at a slight angle toward the bottom of the package, which has the advantage that, being already creased in the direction of a proper bend they aid in-producing a square, sharp corner when folded as a unit with the corresponding flap of the label as presently described.

At station III, the label L is applied, being clamped and folded in the same manner as the tinfoil'F at station XII, the package at this stage being shown in Fig. 9.

At station IV, the side folds of the label L are made with the aid of stationary folder 28', stationary brush 29 and the wrapping of the label circumfcrentially about the mandrel is completed by folders 30 and 31 in exactly the same manner as the side folds of the tinfoil F at station L The folders 30 and 31at this station are carried by the bell crank lever 32, 32a and the three arm lever 33, 33a, and 336, respectively. The three arm lever is oscillated by the rod 330 driven from suitable means, not shown, to actuate the folder 31 to lay down one outstanding end of the label over the rear side of the mandrel, the folder 30 being actuated through the roller on the outer end of arm 33a in engagement'with arm 32a of the bell crank lever. An additional tinfoil clamping mechanism is provided at this station to clamp and hold taut the tinfoil folds already formed in place of the clamp 34 while the side of the label is brought aga nst the mandrel and while the seam clamping arm 17 is necessarily open to receive the same. This tinfoil clamping mechanism consists of a clamping strip 37 fastened to an arm 38 pivoted on shaft 39. This strip engages the portion of the foil which extends beyond the label toward the base of the mandrel. The arm 38 has an extension 40 carrying a stud 41 and is connected with a tension spring 42. On shaft 39, which has an oscillating motion from suitable driving mechanism not shown, is mounted a lever 43 carrying a pin 44 engaging with a link 45 pivoted on a stud 46 and carrying on its free end a pin 47 which actuates the lever 38. To clamp the tinfoil lap, this mechanism acts as follows The lever 43, through motion of the shaft 39, is moved backward thereby causing the pin 44 to release the link 45 which also moves backward by the pressure of the spring 42 which, through the lever 38 and stud 41, acts on the pin 47 in the link 45. As the lever 43 swings backward, lever 38 carrying the clamp 37 swings forward and clamps the tinfoil lap beyond the label edge. In order to produce just the right pressure on the Clamp 37, stationary stop rod 48 is provided which engages pin 47 and thereby prevents lever 38 from going back too far, thereby limiting the movement of arm 38 and clamp 37. In order to release the clamp 37 quickly from the tinfoil lap after the clamp arm 17 has returned into engagement, the link 45 is caused to act as a short arm lever by the engagement of pin 44 with the same.

Coming to station V, the bottom fold of the label L is made. First, the side tuckers 49 move toward each other close to the forward end of the mandrel 16, whereby the sides of the label are tucked in over the mani drel and in the same operation and as a'unit therewith the triangular outstanding ears are folded, Fig. 11, and then the folding plate 50 is moved forward in the direction of the turret rotation by an arm 51, thus folding the rear lap of the label over the end of the mandrel 16 (Fig.12). One of the tuckers 49 is carried by a three arm lever 490 which is oscillated by a cam, as shown in Fig. 1, to tuck one side of the label. The other tucker is carried by a bell crank lever 49?) which is oscillated by its engagement with a roller on the three arm lever. A lever 50a engaging the other side of the cam moves the folding plate 50 in and out of operative position. In

leaving this station, the remaining flap of the label, to the inside edge of which paste has been applied before entering, engages with the stationary roller 52 held in fork 53, thus folding it over the previously folded rear flap and completing the bottom fold of the package (Fig. 13) which now forms a complete open pouch sealed at the bottom and along one of its sides, ready to receive the cigarettes C through the open end at one of the remaining stations which are otherwise idle, and to be discharged from they package making turret 15 at station XII in a manner fully set forth in patent application Serial Number 283,758 to W; B. Bronander filed June 8, 1928 and in the corresponding British Patent No. 328,310 to the American Machine & Foundry Company illustrating one of the constructions the present invention is intended to improve.

It will be noted that by folding as just described four flaps are laid by one operation of two simple folders and this without causing interlocking of the bottom flaps or interfering with pasting. Moreover the triangular creased ears besides strengthenin the .package corners provide extra security against opening of the freshly pasted bottom by pressure from within, as when the package is pushed off the mandrel, by reason of the fact that before the tinfoil end is opened the ears must be lifted and a slight resistance on the tips of the ears by the label will hold them down against a considerable pressure at their base. Another advantage of the folding as above is that in machines such as that disclosed in the identified application, in which the label is fed axially or endwise relative to the mandrel the triangular creased ears serve as a guide to insure that the label passes between the mandrel and the clamp plate without catchmg.

Owing to the auxiliary clamp 37 acting on the tinfoil extension, foil may be used with as little as A overlap. \Vithout this clamp the rear side overlap tends to rise and the corner of the inner end flap tends to spring out so that when the rear side overlap is again pressed down the edges of the broad end flaps get caught. Consequently material may be saved and reliability in operation is increased.

l/Vhat is claimed is: a

1. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a traveling mandrel, of means for wrapping an inner wrapper circumferentially about said mandrel and overhanging an end thereof, devices for folding in oppo site overhanging end flaps leaving two opposite flaps outstanding, devices for wrapping an outer wrapper about the mandrel and overhanging the same end thereof, folders for folding as a unit each outstanding flap of the inner wrapper and adjacent flap of the outer wrapper, and mechanism for folding in the remaining end flaps of the outer wrapper, to form non-interlocking inner and outer containers.

2.v In a wrapping machine,ithe combination with a traveling mandrel, of means for wrapping an inner wrapper circumferentially about said mandrel and overhanging an end thereof, devices. for folding in opposite overhanging end flaps leaving two opposite flaps outstanding, devices for wrapping an outer wrapper about the mandrel and overhanging the same end thereof, folders for folding as a unit each outstanding flap of the inner wrappeer and adjacent flap of the outer wrapper, mechanism for folding in the remaining end flaps of the outer wrapper, to form non-interlocking inner and outer containers, said means including a clamp movable against the mandrel for securing the wrapper and a side folding member operated by the clamp arranged to fold a portion of the Wrapper about one side of the mandrel when the clamp moves against the wrapper.

3. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a traveling mandrel, of means for wrapping an inner wrapper circumferentainers, said means including a clamp movable toward and away from the mandrel to securing the wrapper thereto, and a side folding member movable with the clamp arranged to fold a portion of the wrapper about one side of the mandrel when the clamp moves against said mandrel, and mechanism connecting the clamp and the side folding member operating when the clamp is moved away from the mandrel to move the side folder relative to the clampto increase the clearance between the combined clamping and folding member and side of the mandrel.

4. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a traveling mandrel, of means for wrapping an inner wrapper circumfcren-- tially about said mandrel and overhanging an end thereof, devices for folding in opposite overhanging end flaps leaving two opposite flaps outstanding, devices for wrapping an outer wrapper about the mandrel and overhanging the same end thereof, folders for folding as a unit each outstanding flap of the inner wrapper and adjacent flap of the outer wrapper, mechanism for folding in the remaining .end flaps of the outer wrapper, to form non-interlocking inner and outer containers, said means including a clam movable against the mandrel and a side olding -member operated by the clamp arranged to fold a portion of the wrapper about one'side of the mandrel, and said means also including a stationary folder past which the man-' drel travels for folding the wrapper about i the other side ofthe mandrel.

5. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a traveling-mandrel, of means for wrappmg an inner wrapper circumferentially about said mandrel and overhanging'an end thereof, devices for folding in opposite overhanging end flaps leaving two opposite flaps outstanding, devices for wrapping an outer wrapper about the mandrel and overhanging the same end thereof, folders for folding as a unit each outstanding flap of the inner wrapper and adjacent flap of the outer wrapper, mechanism for folding in the remaining end flaps of the outer wrapper, to form non interl'o'cking inner and outer containers, and a rotating turret carrying said mandrel, said means including a clamp and a folder also traveling with said support operable to fold a flap of a wrapper between the clamp and the object, and connections between said clamp and folder for operating the folder when the clamp is operated.

7 A folder and clamp structure for wrapping machines comprising a member movable toward and away from the object to be wrapped, a clamp plate mounted on said member for movement against the object to be wrapped, a folder also mounted on said member for folding a wrapper located between the clamp and object, and means for operating said folder when the clamp plate is operated to fold one side of the wrapper about one side of the object, and a pair of oscillating folders for thereafter folding both sides of the wrapper in overlapping relation on another side of theobject.

8. A folder and clamp structure for wrapping machines comprising a member movable toward and away from the object to be wrapped, a clamp plate mounted on said member for movement against the object to be wrapped, a. folder also mounted on said member for folding a wrapper located between the clamp and object, means for operating said folder when the clamp plate is operated to fold one side of the wrapper about one side of the object, and a pair of oscillating folders for thereafter folding both sides of the wrapper in overlapping relation on another side of the object, said means including devices for retracting the folder relative to the face of the clamp plate when the clamp plate is withdrawn to provide clearway for feeding the wrapper between the clamp and object. I

9. A folder and clamp structure for wrapping machines comprising a member movable toward andawayfrom the object to be wrapped,a clamp plate plate mounted on said member for movement against the object to be wrapped, a folder also mounted on said member for folding a wrapper located between the clamp and object, means for operating-said folder when the clamp plate is operated to fold one side of the wrapper about one side of the object, and a pair of oscillating folders for thereafter folding both sides of the wrapper in overlapping relation on another side of the object,

- and a yielding connection between the clamp late and the member, said devices includng an arm carrying the folder and pivoted on the member, and connected to the folder to operate the same when the clamp yields relative to the member..

10. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a mandrel, of a clamp adjacent one face of said mandrel, an operating member for moving the clamp toward and away from the mandrel, a folder carried by said member and connected to said member and clamp for operation to fold a side of the wrapper about a side of the mandrel when the clamp is moved against said face, and a pair of oscillating folders for folding both sides of the wrapper in overlapping relation about another side of the mandrel.

11. In a wrapping machine, thecombination-with a mandrel, of a clamp adjacent one face of said'mandrel, an operating member for moving the clamp toward and away from the mandrel, a folder carried by. said member and connected to said member and clamp for operation to fold a side of the wrapper about a side of the mandrel when the clamp is moved against said face, said face of the clamp, and a pair of oscillat-' ing folders for folding both sides of the wrapper in overlapping relation on another face of the mandrel.

12. The combination with means for supporting a traveling object with a wrapper surrounding the same and overhanging one end thereof, of means for folding in the rear overhanging end flap, and stationary means for folding in the forward overhanging end flap and sharpening the crease at the base of the remaining upstanding end flaps.

13. The combination with means for supporting a traveling object with a wrapper surrounding the same and overhanging one end thereof, of means for folding in the rear overhanging end flap, stationary means for folding in the forward overhanging end flap and sharpening the crease at the base of the remaining upstanding end flaps, said stationary means including guides extending along the path of the upstanding flaps at the outside thereof, and a triangular block having its base adjacent the path of the end of the mandrel and its edges in position to contact the base of said flaps.

14. The method of applying a double wrapping without interlocking of the inner and outer wrappers which consists in foldlng an inner wrapper circumferentially about a mandrel and overhanging an end thereof, folding in opposite overhanging end flaps leav ing outstanding two remaining end flaps, then folding an outer wrapper circumferentially about the mandrel also overhanging the end of the mandrel, folding as units in one operation each outstanding flap of the' v inner wrapper and the corresponding end flap .inner wrapper'and the corresponding end flap .of the outer wrapper, then folding in the remaining overhanging side flaps of the outer wrapper, said method including the step of sharpening the crease between the outstanding and folded flaps of the inner wrapper prior to applying the outer wrapper.

'16. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a traveling mandrel, of means for mg mechanlsm operating to clamp t wrapping an inner wrapper circumferentially about said mandrel and overhanging an end thereof, devices for partially folding the overhanging end flaps, and devices for wrapping an outer wrapper of less length than the inner wrapper about said mandrel, clamp means acting to hold the longitudinally extending edges of the wrapper against the mandrel and including mechanism for lifting the clamping element when the outer wrapper is applied, and an auxiliary e longitudinal edges of the portion of the inner wrapper extending beyond the outer wrapper when the clamp means is lifted.

17. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a mandrel intermittently traveling from one wrapping station to another, of

means for wrapping a wrapper sheet aboutsaid mandrel with opposite edges of the wrap per overlapping on a face of the mandrel, and clamping mechanism operating to temporarily clamp the seam adjacent one end only of the mandrel during a wrapping operation at one of said stations, said clamping mechanl'sm including a wrapper sheet engaging ele-.

ment, and means relatively stationary with respect to the travel of the mandrel for swinging sald element into the path of the mandrel and against the seam, said element being supported from a stationary axis. 7

18. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a mandrel intermittently traveling from one wrapping station to another, of means for wrapping a wrapper sheet about said mandrel with opposite edges of the wrapper overlapping on a face of the mandrel, and clamping mechanism operating to temporarily clamp the seam adjacent one end only of the mandrel during a wrapping operation at one of said stations, said clamping mechanism including a clamp strip, a spring pressed lever for moving said strip to clamping position and means normally holding said lever away from clamping position and periodically releasing the same for clamping movement, said lever being mounted on a stationary axis.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

1 GEORGE W. GWIN N.

CHARLES ARELT.

clamp- 

